The late summer and early fall months are a great time to head outdoors for your fitness routine. But how do you make sure you're really getting in a great workout without the help of resistance equipment and mile-counters on the machines? Whether you choose to go swimming or head outside for a long jog, the heat may get to you faster than it would at the gym--which means you don't always know if you're pushing yourself hard enough. Here are ways to make the most of your workouts during late summer:

1. Wear the right clothing. Make sure your workout gear is well-suited for the weather or you risk dehydration and discomfort from the heat and humidity. You'll need lightweight, light-colored clothing made with moisture-wicking fabric so that your skin can breathe.

2. Throw on a visor. Pull your hair back in a ponytail if you have longer hair, and brush it back neatly if you have shorter hair so that you can wear a visor comfortably. A visor will help to block out the powerful sun rays of the late summer months and help you stay focused.

3. Wear sunglasses. Your eyes need to be protected from damaging UV rays, so make sure you're wearing a pair of well-fitting sunglasses that cover the entire eye area. Wraparound sunglasses and oversized sunglasses that reach your eyebrows are your best bets for an outdoor workout.

4. Carry a pedometer. Keep track of the miles you've covered so you're not pushing yourself beyond your limit. Set a goal and monitor your heart rate at regular intervals throughout the session so you don't injure yourself in the heat.

5. Don't forget the water bottle! Nothing will make you tired more quickly than being dehydrated. When you're working out under the hot sun, you need to prevent dehydration, so take along a large water bottle and keep it topped off from a water fountain whenever possible.

Working out outdoors is a great way to make the most of the nice weather during the late summer months and enjoy a change of scenery. Make sure you're well-prepared for the climate and protect yourself with these essential tips...and don't forget the sunscreen!

When most people think about working their core muscles, they only think about exercises that mostly work your abdominals like crunches and sit ups. Your core muscles also consist of your lower back muscles. When you have strong lower back muscles, you can actually appear taller and thinner. The Superman exercise is a great way to strengthen your core muscles, including your lower back.

Here is how to do the Superman exercise:

1. Lie face down on your stomach on a carpeted surface or on an exercise mat. Extend your arms straight out in front of you on the floor with your palms on the floor. Your legs should be straight behind you.
2. While keeping them straight, lift your arms and legs up off the ground. Keep your head facing downwards. You should have a slight curve in your back.
3. Hold this position for at least 5-10 seconds making sure to breathe and keep your abdominals contracted.
4. Lower your arms and legs back to the ground. Repeat the exercise for the desired amount of reps. Aim for at least 8 reps at a time.

There is also an alternating version of the Superman exercise. In this version of the exercise you only lift one arm off the ground as you lift the opposite leg at the same time. Then, you alternate between the two sides to complete a set.

The Superman exercise is one of the best ways to strengthen the lower back. Not many people realize just how important a strong lower back is. Think about how many things you lift in a day. Without strong lower back muscles, you may not be able to lift heavy items such as your kids.

Also, as mentioned, your lower back muscles support your whole body as they make up your core. When you have weak lower back muscles you may find that you have bad posture or you have trouble doing everyday tasks such as sitting for an extended period of time. If you can strengthen your lower back muscles, you help tighten up your core, which can make you not only look taller, but much thinner as well.

The Superman exercise can be added to any type of strength training workout or even a yoga routine.

When the day is full of to-do lists and high stress levels, squeezing in a workout may be the last thing on your mind. Unfortunately, skimping on the workouts can quickly turn into a lifestyle that leads to weight gain, poor muscle tone and low energy levels. One of the easiest ways to combat the inevitable is to add just 20 to 30 minutes of focused exercises into your day. Still not convinced you can do it? Pick up some resistance bands and you'll be well on your way!

Resistance bands are easy to pack and stow away in your desk at the office, and you can use them virtually anywhere. They're a convenient alternative to dumbbells and you can still get a great workout from a few reps using major muscle groups. These bands look like giant rubber bands and come in an array of colors. You can tie them to a doorknob to turn your door into an instant weight-training machine, step down on them and lift them over your head to imitate the movements of an overhead press, or use them to perform more challenging squats and lunges.

Resistance bands are lightweight and portable, so plan to tote these along in your tote bag or work bag with ease. You can use the simple variety that are just basic bands, or go for the premium type that include safety straps (so you don't have to worry about slipping).

A few things to remember when strength training with resistance bands:

Always make sure the bands are tied securely around the object, or you risk hurting yourself
Stretch briefly before and after (sans resistance bands) so you don't shock your muscles into action
Watch your breathing, just as you would if you were lifting weights at the gym
Make sure your hands aren't wet or sweaty, or you risk losing your grip on the bands
Look for different ways to perform your usual gym workouts such as squats, lunges, overhead presses, bicep curls and tricep curls.

There are dozens of exercises you can do with resistance bands, and they're among the best workout tools to pack and take along on any busy day. Squeeze a resistance band workout into your busy day so you don't have to worry about piling on the pounds when there's no time for the gym!

We can't talk about living a healthy lifestyle without addressing diets. Many of us are overweight. I for one have tried a number of different diets and have to say that not all of them are budget friendly. This week, let's discuss what to look for when looking for a budget friendly diet.

First of all, be wary of diets that require you to buy food from the company. Sure, people do lose weight on these diets, but it's probably because they can't afford to buy any additional food. This does ensure that you'll stay on the plan, but do you really want to be confined to a plan that much? More importantly, there may be times when your budget simply will not allow for these expensive foods.

Special memberships are another thing to look out for. If you have to pay to get the information for a diet, it's not budget friendly. There are exceptions to the rule though. For example, you can find all the information you need for the Weight Watchers diet for free. All you have to do is search the internet.

Dieters should also avoid diets that are too complicated. If a diet is complicated, chances are that any money you spend might go to waste. This is because that diets that are complicated usually fail. Take it from me. If the diet is too time consuming and requires too much from the dieter, you'll find yourself quickly breaking the complicated rules.

So, what does work? Plain and simple, I've found two plans that work and are budget friendly. The first plan is to simply count calories. This plan doesn't require you to eat any certain foods, which means that it's inexpensive. Plus, it's straight forward. You determine the amount of calories needed to lose weight and then stay within that range.

The easiest diet I've ever found though, that's budget friendly, is to simply make good choices. We all know what's good and what's bad for our bodies. With further research, we can even find the healthiest foods that also promote weight loss. That's really all it takes.

A tuck jump is what is known as a plyometric exercise. Plyometrics are special moves that are done to increase power, speed, and explosiveness all in one exercise. This type of training is most often done by athletes who are looking to increase a vertical jump or speed. Tuck jumps are just not for athletes though, as they do have benefits that can help the average person. They are a good way to build up strength in your legs and burn tons of calories in a short period of time.

Here is how to do a tuck jump:

1. Stand with your feet approximately shoulder-length apart and your arms straight out in front of you.
2. Bend your knees so that you lower your body into the squatting position. Your arms should still be straight out in front of your body.
3. As soon as you reach the bottom of the squatting position, you need to explode up so that you make your jump as high as possible.
4. Once your feet are off the ground, quickly pull your knees into your chest. When you are at the highest point in your jump, your knees should be touching your chest.
5. As you starting going down towards the floor, un-tuck your knees and land softly on the ground with knees slightly bent. Your arms should always be in front of you.
6. Immediately go back into the squat position and continue with the tuck jumps. Do as many reps as possible. Try to aim for at least 10-15 at a time to begin with.

If you are a beginner to exercising, you can make tuck jumps easier by not tucking your knees to your chest and simply doing squat jumps instead. Then you can work your way up to the tuck jumps once you have been able to increase your vertical jump and stamina.

Be sure that you are jumping as high as you can on each of the tuck jumps. Jumping only slightly off the floor is not going to improve your jump or speed. If you want to get a cardiovascular exercise in with tuck jumps then try continuous tuck jumps for at least 1-2 minutes and see how high your heart rate gets.

Tuck jumps can be added to a circuit training routine or a cardiovascular workout, but always be sure that you are properly warmed up before attempting this exercise.

You've finally stopped making excuses to get to the gym in the wee hours of the morning, and are committed to sticking with your fitness mantra this season. Congratulations! This is a big step, and one that will pay off in more ways than one. Still, logging in time at the gym is just the beginning; if you find yourself spending hours on the treadmill, elliptical trainer or lifting weights and aren't seeing results, you might not be maximizing your gym time.

Wearing the wrong shoes, skipping the all-important stretching routine, and not eating properly before the workout can make all the difference for your get-in-shape efforts. Here some essential tips for making the most of your time in the gym:

1. Stretch before and after. Stretching before a workout will get your circulation going and make it easier to perform your hardest routines first. Stretching after the workout is just as important; your muscles need to cool down and your mind needs to start winding down to start the recovery process. You'll be fitter and stronger for the next round with this simple routine.

2. Stay hydrated. Dehydration can prevent you from pushing yourself to the max. Make sure you're drinking plenty of water before, during and after your workout so that you can really give it your all.

3. Make sure the shoe fits. If you're not wearing the right size or style of shoe, you could be setting yourself up for injury. Even if you don't hurt yourself, you might not be getting the full range of motion you need to perform those lunges or use the gym equipment properly. Make sure you're wearing the right shoes for the activity at all times.

4. Eat right. Power up your workouts by eating a small serving of lean protein and low carbohydrate snacks right before you hit the gym. You need only a small snack to give you a boost, especially if your goal is to lose weight.

5. Change things up! Doing the same routine over and over is the fast track to a fitness rut, and you'll be burning fewer calories every time. Keep your body challenged with different workouts so you're burning up a calorie storm every time you exercise!

It seems like every time you turn on the TV, there's a new commercial advertising a product with added vitamins. Is it really necessary to pay the outrageous prices for these products? No! For mere pennies a day, you can get the exact supplements your body needs. This week, let's talk about how you can get the proper supplements without paying big bucks.

At dollar stores, and even stores like Wal-Mart, you can get unbelievable prices on supplements. For example, Wal-Mart offers large bottles of women's complete vitamins for only $4. Of course, if your doctor recommends taking extra supplements, those are available too. It's not uncommon to find 30 to 60 day bottles of supplements for only $1. A bottle of fancy vitamin fortified water costs more than that.

Here's an example. I take a women's multi vitamin each morning, which cost $4 for a bottle of 60. In the evening, I take a supplement which includes calcium, magnesium, and zinc, which also cost $4 for a bottle of 90. For around $0.11 per day, I'm able to get all the vitamins and supplements I need. In other words, who needs fancy products that have added vitamins?

One thing you should also consider is that you can save even more money by purchasing supplements in larger containers. This is a wonderful option if there are several people in your household taking the same vitamins. If you're the only one though, you need to look closely at the expiration date before making your purchase.

Of course, you may be worried about remembering to take your vitamins each day. As I mentioned last week, it's important to write reminders in your planner. But, I also find that it helps to use pill organizers. That way, if you find yourself wondering if you took your pills for that day, you can look in the organizer and be sure.

Stop adding fancy products to your shopping list and replace them with bottles of supplements. Not only will you save money, but you'll also be sure to get only the supplements you need.

There are quite a few people that probably have not heard of a burpee before. A burpee is actually an excellent exercise that will work out your entire body in one move. It also helps to develop strength, endurance and power, which is why it is often used in sports conditioning. A burpee is often also called a squat-thrust as well.

Here is how to do a burpee:
1. Stand straight up with your legs about shoulder-length apart. Bend your knees so that you are in a normal squatting position with your butt back and knees over your ankles. Place your hands on the ground in front of your feet. Be sure that you are always wearing supportive tennis shoes when performing this exercise.

2. Kick your feet backwards so that you are now in a basic push up position, with your back completely straight with your body.

3. Almost immediately return your feet back to where they were behind your hands so that you are back in a squatting position.

4. Leap up as high as you can (your feet should come off the floor) straight from the squatting position. Your arms should go straight above your head as you leap up. If you are not able to leap, you can simply stand up and place your hands straight up in the air.

5. Squat back down and repeat the exercise for at least 10 repetitions.

The great thing about the burpee exercise is that not only does it strengthen your muscles, but if you do enough repetitions in a row, you can also raise your heart rate and get in a pretty good cardiovascular workout as well.
There are some versions of this exercise that will tell you to do a push up after you get into position. This is an advanced version of the basic burpee. This version of the exercise targets more of your chest muscles than the basic burpee does. If you choose, you can perform one set of the basic burpees and then a burpee-push up combination.

Adding in the burpee or squat-thrust exercise into your training routine can greatly increase your power, endurance and strength. It's an awesome all-in-one exercise for your whole body.

No matter how excited you were about your new fitness frenzy attitude a few weeks back, there will come a time when the motivation level hits an all time low. Getting into a new exercise routine is great, but it's the consistency of the workouts that will get you the results you crave. Unfortunately, many people simply give up after a series of missed workouts, or from sheer boredom. Don't be the next victim of workout burnout! Prepare yourself for the dip in motivation by jazzing up your workout routine with some of these simple strategies:

1. Pump up the jam. Workout to music that really gets you going so that you can have fun while you move! Create a special soundtrack just for your workouts, and change things up every few weeks.

2. Buy some new workout shoes. A fresh new pair of sneakers may be just what you need to get back into gym-mode again. If you've been wearing the same shoes to workout in for several months, you may even be causing some serious damage to your calves and heels. Take the time to get fitted for a pair of sneakers so you can protect your feet and legs from the impact of your workout routine, and power up your workouts instantly.

3. Bring a friend along. Have you been doing your workout solo all this time? Bring along a friend and show them the moves. Teaching someone else a few exercises you've mastered is a great way to improve your skills and take your mind off the workout. Plus, making the commitment to help someone else to get in shape might help you do the same.

4. Watch what you're eating. Make sure you're not eating a heavy or non-nutritious meal before your workout, because the wrong types of foods can make your energy levels fizzle. Eat right so your body is physically prepared for the exercise routine ahead.

5. Maintain a separate workout calendar. Even if you've become good at penciling in your workouts as a to-do item in your regular calendar, stay motivated by creating a dedicated workout calendar that keeps track of all of those gym visits. It's a simple and effective way to visualize your progress!

You may have learned the bicycle crunch when you were in elementary school as a fun way to exercise, but what you may have not known back then is that it is truly an awesome way to target your abdominal muscles. The great thing about this exercise is that it targets not only the middle of your abs (think six pack abs) but also your obliques (think love handles). Although you can't spot train and get rid of belly fat with abdominal exercises, they can make your abs stronger, so when used in conjunction with cardiovascular exercise, you can achieve flat abs.

Here is how to do the basic bicycle exercise:
1. Lie flat on your back on the floor. If you are not on a carpeted or soft surface, use an exercise mat. Lace your fingers behind your head to support your neck.

2. Bring both your knees in towards your chest as you lift your upper body from your shoulders up off the floor. Do not pull on your head or neck with your hands, but gently support them. Use your stomach muscles to keep your upper body off the ground.

3. Straighten your left leg out completely while turning your upper body to your right knee. Bring your left elbow to the right knee as your keep your ab muscles contracted and twist only from your stomach.

4. Return back to starting position and immediately switch sides, so that you bring your right elbow to your left knee and your right leg is straight out.

5. Continue this motion without stopping in between reps. Aim for at least 15 reps on each side of the body.

The exercise may seem confusing at first for beginners, but it is simply just like riding a bicycle in the air. The key to making the bicycle crunch an effective exercise is to have perfect form when completing it. Never, ever pull on the back of your neck or head with your hands, as this can lead to neck and back injuries. Your abdominal muscles should always be contracted as they support the weight of your body. Be sure to breathe evenly during the exercise.

Combine this exercise along with a cardio workout 3-4 times a week and you will notice a difference in your stomach.

Strengthening your core muscles not only improves your posture, but it also makes it easier to carry out your most challenging workout routines. Dancers, gymnasts and other athletes do a number of exercises to strengthen and tone up their core muscles - the obliques, abdominals and lower back - because it helps them maintain balance and allows them to shift and control their body weight easily.

Strong core muscles will also reduce the risk of back pain and injury when you're working out. So how do you go about strengthening and toning that midriff? You'll need to start with a set of simple floor exercises that will train your muscles to move in a certain way.

You can begin with some simple oblique stretches and ab-lengthening exercises. Lie flat on your back with your toes pointed forward, then slowly raise each leg for a count of five, then lower it. Do the same with the other leg, and make sure you inhale on the lift and exhale as you lower the leg. Do the same movement with both legs to warm up the lower abdominal muscles, then slowly move your legs to the left or to the right to warm up the obliques.

Another great midriff-strengthening exercise is the standing twist. Here, you can hold two light weights at your side and lift your arms to shoulder length. The next step is to twist to the left, then the right in a fluid motion, all while keeping your abs tucked in. You won't feel a burn until you do several twists, but it's a simple and effective exercise for training your core muscles.

Finally, enhance the effects of your average floor-based crunch movement by focusing on keeping your shoulder blades off the floor, and not doing a complete sit up. Sit ups don't work if you have weak abdominal muscles. You need to focus on contracting the abdominals and obliques, then holding them in place for several seconds in an isolation move.

Don't think you have time to strengthen your core? Just grab your yoga mat and yoga gear during a commercial break and squeeze in some posture-enhancing stretches and crunches to tighten that midriff. Just a few quick spurts of intensive activity is all it really takes to help train those core muscles and start seeing results!

Something that most people overlook when trying to live a healthy lifestyle on a budget is a proper schedule. Did you ever stop to think how not using exercise equipment or your gym membership can affect your budget? To put it simply, it's a waste of money. You must create a schedule and stick to it. That way, you not only save money, but you make sure the money you do spend doesn't go to waste.

Your schedule should include all the healthy changes you hope to accomplish in one day. Instead of just writing down what you want to accomplish, actually schedule a time that fits your needs. For example, if you exercise better in the mornings, schedule time before your morning shower for daily exercise.

Even if you think you'll remember certain things you need to do throughout the day, write them down anyway. Write down a reminder to take your daily vitamins and even schedule a time for meals and snacks. This helps ensure that you're doing exactly what you need to do each day to stay on track.

Don't forget all those important appointments either. On the monthly overview in your planner, be sure to not only make note of appointments, but to highlight them as well. This ensures that you don't forget about doctor's appointments or any other appointment that is essential for a healthy lifestyle.

The most important thing to remember is to not overextend yourself. If you schedule too many activities into one day, you'll never finish them all. This not only wastes money, but it can be extremely frustrating as well. If you continue to do this, you'll eventually give up your healthy ways and slip into an unhealthy lifestyle.

With the proper schedule, you should be able to accomplish all your healthy goals without wasting any money. If you don't have a planner, be sure to invest in one. Also, include important reminders on your cell phone and computer.

If you want to have tight and toned arms, especially triceps, then dips are definitely an exercise you want to add to your workout routine. Dips mainly work the tricep muscles, which are the muscles on the back of your arm. There are a lot of people that complain of the flabby arms when waving problem, so to tighten and tone your triceps along with other muscles in the arm and chest, try doing some dips.

Here is how to perform a classic dip exercise:
1. Take hold of the dip bars with the palms of your hands facing your body. You need to raise yourself up so that your arms are fully extended with your body above the bars. If you need to, you can use a step to get up or have someone help you up.
2. Bend your knees with your feet behind you and the rest of the body straight.
3. Lower yourself down by bending your elbows. Your chest should almost be even with the bars.
4. Quickly raise yourself back up to starting position by fully extending your arms.
5. Repeat the above steps for the desire amount of repetitions.

Dips are definitely not an easy exercise to perform, especially if you lack upper body strength to begin with. If you are unable to perform the classic dip exercise, there is a variation that is easier to do, but will still strengthen your arm muscles. Instead of using dip bars, use a bench or even a chair to do your dips. Place your hands on the edge of the bench behind you with your feet on the floor in front of you. The straighter your legs are, the harder the dip gets. Now, bend your elbows so that your butt is almost touching the floor or as far as you can dip down. Raise back up to starting position and repeat. This variation of the dip is easier as you do not have to dip as far and you are not supporting all your body weight solely on your arms.

If you want to get more advanced than the classic dip, you can always add a dip belt or weight belt when doing the exercise. The more weight that you add, the harder your muscles have to work.

Dips are a great exercise to get the toned and tight triceps that look awesome in strapless dresses, or for guys the bulging arms that make your shirts tight.

Don't have time for the gym? Don't worry about it! You can burn a ton of calories from the comforts of home, and you don't even need to stock up on the latest workout videos or fancy home gym equipment. If you spend just a couple of hours each week doing house chores, and keep up a steady pace, you can turn your house cleaning routine into a killer workout. This really does mean that you can forget about the gym bag (for now, anyway) and stay in great shape.

From gardening to vacuuming, take a look at these calorie-burning averages for common household activities (numbers are based on a woman who is 5 ft 5" tall and weighs about 160 pounds:

Vacuuming: 194 calories per hour
Washing the car by hand: 234 calories per hour
Mopping the floor: 194 calories per hour
Cleaning windows: 180 calories per hour
Walking up and down the stairs (carrying laundry, hauling groceries, etc): 516 calories per hour
Ironing: 113 calories per hour
Putting up wallpaper: 133 calories per hour
Gardening or weeding: 288 calories per hour

Keep in mind that these are only base calorie-burning calculations. Your actual burn rate will vary depending on your height and weight, and whether you are a male or female (yes, men can burn calories doing housework too). And, there are some ways to ramp up the calorie burn; you can do everything with a couple of ankle weights, make a few tasks more challenging, and turn up the music so you can jive to your favorite tunes and push yourself just a little bit harder.

If you're doing the dishes, wash and dry just one dish at a time so you're adding more activity to the routine. When you're mowing the lawn, pick the push mower over the rider to get a great upper and lower body workout. If you're cooking or baking up a storm in the kitchen, make sure you're making everything from scratch. Kneading the dough, chopping vegetables, and whisking batter will give your upper body a great workout, and help you burn off a few extra calories within minutes!

If you want a firm and lifted backside then you need to add glute kickbacks into your exercise routine. Kickbacks are a great exercise for the butt and the hamstrings. They help to firm and strengthen the butt and legs, which will make you look awesome in those skinny jeans.

Here is how to do a kickback exercise:

1. Get down on your knees and hands, preferably on a mat or carpeted surface. Your back should be parallel to the ground and your arms straight but not locked. You should be looking down towards the ground.

2. Take one of your legs as you thrust your feet up in the air backwards. Your foot should be flat as your raise it to the ceiling. Contract the muscles of your butt as your leg goes up.

3. Lower the leg back down so it's almost touching the ground and raise it back up again. Continue that for the desired amount of reps and then switch legs. Be sure not to twist your torso as it will make the exercise less effective.

There are also other variations of the kickback exercise that will work specific areas of the butt. For instance, you can raise your leg straight up in the air and then as you bring it down cross it over the other leg. This variation will target more of the outside area of the buttocks along with the hips as well.

Glute kickbacks can be added to strength training routines as well as circuit training workouts. Ankle weights can be added to make the exercise more difficult for your strength training routines. Just be sure that the moves are done in a controlled manner and as this will work the muscles more rather than wildly swinging your legs. For a circuit training workout try an original glute exercise followed quickly by a variation to get a great butt and hamstring workout at once.

The great thing about kickbacks is that you can also get an abdominal workout in, if you remember to keep your back straight and your abs contracted during the whole exercise.